Tag: Jim Cunningham

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Cunningham on 2016-04-19.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what estimate he has made of the number of full-time equivalent officials in his Department working on the BBC Charter Renewal consultation; and if he will make a statement.

Mr Edward Vaizey

In addition to 3 DCMS BBC policy team officials, 30 other DCMS officials, at an average of 8.1 full-time equivalent people per week, over a 12 week period, supported the process to review the consultation responses.

19 officials seconded from other government departments (7.7 full-time equivalent per week) and 20 agency staff (9.4 full-time equivalent per week) also supported the process.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Cunningham on 2016-04-25.

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what information his Department holds on the amount paid in legal fees as part of the Combined Authority negotiation process to date; and if he will make a statement.

Mr Mark Francois

This Department has not procured any external legal support in the negotiation of devolution deals or the creation of combined authorities, and therefore has not paid any legal fees as part of those processes.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Cunningham on 2016-05-03.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what estimate she has made of the cost to the public purse of the Troops to Teachers scheme in each year since that scheme began; and if she will make a statement.

Nick Gibb

The amount spent on the Troops to Teachers scheme by financial year is listed below:

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Cunningham on 2016-05-18.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to increase recruitment of teachers of priority subjects in secondary schools.

Nick Gibb

Teaching is a hugely popular career with more teachers in schools than ever before and record levels of top graduates entering the profession. To support recruitment in 2016/17 we have increased postgraduate bursaries, which put a premium on degree class, to attract top graduates in priority subjects such as physics, mathematics and modern foreign languages. Prestigious scholarships, worth £30,000 for physics and £25,000 for mathematics, chemistry or computing, are also available to talented graduates with a first or 2:1 degree who are passionate about their subject and have the potential to be inspirational teachers. We are also continuing to fund Teach First and their mission to get the best graduates into challenging schools.

In addition, we are spending £67 million on a programme of measures to improve the knowledge of the existing mathematics and physics teaching workforce, and increase the number of new mathematics and physics specialists who enter the profession through initial teacher training every year. This package aims to recruit up to 2,500 new teachers and train up to 15,000 existing teachers over the next five years. It also includes programmes to encourage the brightest A level students and undergraduates into teaching; salaried part-time and abridged courses for career changers; a salaried route for post-doctoral mathematics and physics researchers; and support for qualified teachers wishing to return to the profession.

Our marketing campaign, Your Future | Their Future, includes targeted subject specific advertising through a range of media. Those who wish to teach secondary priority subjects are eligible for our enhanced Premier Plus service, which provides support from a dedicated adviser to guide them through the application process. Those applicants who would benefit can also access funded courses to boost or refresh their subject knowledge to a level that will allow them to teach the subject. Officials from the Department also attend more than 35 graduate recruitment events each year.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Cunningham on 2016-05-19.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what estimate she has made of the amount of financial support provided to young carers in each of the last five years; and if she will make a statement.

Edward Timpson

According to the Office for National Statistics, there were 166,000 young carers in 2011.

The Government has changed the law so that all young carers have been entitled to an assessment of their needs for support since April 2015, regardless of who they care for, what type of care they provide, or how much time they spend caring. Around 60%, of young carers are thought to be eligible for free school meals, and those who have been registered for free school meals at any point in the last six years will attract pupil premium funding to the schools that they attend.

We do not specifically estimate the amount of financial support provided to young carers.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Cunningham on 2016-06-06.

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what estimate his Department has made of how many full-time equivalent civil servants will support the West Midlands Combined Authority in each of the next five years; and if he will make a statement.

Mr Mark Francois

A range of officials from across Government will work to support the West Midlands Combined Authority in the delivery of their policy outcomes. Civil Servants from my Department, including those based in Birmingham, and from the Homes and Communities Agency, will support the authorities of the West Midlands on a number of key local delivery priorities, including on planning, housing, and programmes to drive local economic growth, such as Enterprise Zones and European funding.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Cunningham on 2016-06-07.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, how many representations he has made to his (a) Yemeni and (b) Saudi Arabian counterpart in each of the last twelve months on the conflict in Yemen; and if he will make a statement.

Mr Tobias Ellwood

The Foreign Secretary, my Rt Hon. Friend the Member for Runnymede and Weybridge (Mr Hammond) is in regular contact with Saudi Arabian Foreign Minister Al Jubeir regarding the situation in Yemen. During his recent tour of the Gulf, the Foreign Secretary held constructive discussions with all six GCC countries, underlining the UK’s commitment to finding a peaceful resolution and working in partnership with key regional actors to achieve this. I also regularly engage with the UN Special Envoy for Yemen and President Hadi to encourage commitment to the political process and the UK Special Envoy to Yemen, Sir Alan Duncan, visited the region in April and May to deliver messages to key Yemeni and regional interlocutors. Yemen remains a top priority for the UK Government and we are committed to working towards a durable peace.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Cunningham on 2016-06-09.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many full-time equivalent officials of his Department are working on the invitation to tender for the West Midlands rail franchise; and if he will make a statement.

Claire Perry

There are 15.5 full time equivalent officials of the Department working on the invitation to tender for the West Midlands rail franchise. This count includes two full time secondments within the team but does not include advisers contracted to work on the invitation to tender.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Cunningham on 2016-06-27.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, whether his Department plans to recruit more trade specialists as a result of the outcome of the referendum on the UK’s membership of the EU.

Mr Hugo Swire

As The Prime Minister, the Rt Hon. Member for Witney (Mr Cameron), told the House on 27 June, the Cabinet has agreed the creation of a new EU Unit in Whitehall, which will bring together officials and policy expertise from across the Cabinet Office, Treasury, Foreign and Commonwealth Office and the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills.

It will report to the whole of the Cabinet on delivering the outcome of the referendum, advising on transitional issues and exploring options for our future relationship with Europe and the rest of the world from outside the EU.

The Prime Minister has also said that it is important for us to secure the best and brightest from the private sector, whether they are lawyers, financial experts or trade experts.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Cunningham on 2016-07-13.

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what assessment he has made of the potential effect of the possible long-term exchange rate fluctuations resulting from the outcome of the EU referendum on the viability of the North Sea Link project; and if he will make a statement.

Jesse Norman

The North Sea Link interconnector is being developed by National Grid and Statnett as a commercial business. National Grid has confirmed to us that the outcome of the referendum does not affect the delivery of the project and that construction is continuing as planned.